Chapter 10: Contact

In Fengxi County, when the rumors' spears pointed at the Zhang family, the moment the Zhang family announced the relief-through-work program, the wind of public opinion began to shift.

Large numbers of commoners and refugees began to linger outside the Zhang family's gate, eagerly awaiting news.

A great drought arrived, and many commoners felt a sense of crisis.

At this time, who would want to miss such news?

As for the earlier rumors, they obviously had nothing to do with them; the Zhang family owned Rice Mountain and Face Mountain, which clearly showed their deep reserves—in these times, only by following those with deep reserves could a family avoid the ravages of famine.

The Gold Jade Tavern lies several hundred meters in front of the Zhang family's gate.

Some figures with distinctly different temperaments also witnessed this scene; they were part of the wandering warriors of Fengxi County.

At this moment, they were also whispering to each other, and most gradually dispelled their hostility.

They also inquired about the Zhang family's reputation through their own channels.

The Zhang family's reputation in Fengxi County has always been good; although the family is powerful, under the restraint of Lady Zhuang Yi, the Zhang descendants have never dared to act recklessly.

The Zhang family's tenant farmers and renters have long received land rents lower than those of other great households.

Recently they have also set up porridge sheds to relieve refugees.

Most important of all was the plaque reading 'House of Accumulated Goodness' sent by the county yamen a few days earlier.

No matter how you look at it, the Zhang family is not the sort of rich-but-unbenevolent folk spoken of in the rumors.

Of course, more importantly, the Zhang family has recently raised the banners of many stewards, among whom are many capable hands; after weighing the pros and cons, many wandering warriors have abandoned their thoughts of taking risky shortcuts.

……

'Senior Brother, who would have thought that such a tiny place could actually raise a flood dragon?'

On the second floor of the Gold Jade Tavern, at this moment a pair of figures resembling a golden boy and jade girl leaned on the railing.

The young man wore azure brocade, held a sword called Azure Edge, and his figure was tall and stern.

The young woman had a graceful figure, fair skin, and her face was veiled in light gauze, appearing exceedingly beautiful; her voice was soft and tender, sweetly melodic.

This appears to be a pair of senior brother and sister.

'The flood dragon may not count as such, but their power is certainly not small; I fear it is not weaker than those prominent clans, and these local strongmen are always good at finding opportunities!'

'I just don't know whether they can hold onto this wealth and honor.'

The young man's expression was indifferent as he glanced toward the direction of the Zhang family.

'If the Zhang family can now present the Great Tube Water Wheel Diagram, it will be a merit to the state and boundless virtue to the people; in these times, conscientious strongmen are growing ever rarer, but I hope they can pass this trial!'

Just then, the brother and sister frowned, their gazes shifting downward to see several figures filing into the Gold Jade Tavern, each of the five figures holding a mystic weapon.

Each of these five figures possessed a thick aura, bearing the flavor of tempered iron and blood.

These were five external refinement adepts.

'The Northern Land Five Heroes!'

The brother and sister exchanged a glance, a hint of solemnity in their eyes.

The Northern Land Five Heroes are famed body-tempering adepts from the vicinity of Fengyang Prefecture; they are not without backing, being renowned experts of the Three Rivers Gang of Fengyang Prefecture—how could they have run to Fengxi County at this time?

In another private chamber of the Gold Jade Tavern, Zhang Jian was dressed in splendid robes, wearing jade brocade, his hair bound with a cap, his face like jade; though young, he now bore the air of a gentleman unblemished as jade.

Today he had, however, shaken off Zhang Lu and rarely entered the Gold Jade Tavern for a few drinks.

The food and drink of the Gold Jade Tavern also enjoy considerable fame in Fengxi County; more importantly, it offers all kinds of entertainment facilities, making it a paradise for scholars and refined gentlemen.

Zhang Jian, relying on his keen senses, early on detected a gathering of wandering warriors in the tavern; their qi, to his keen senses, was like a candle flame in the night.

After eating a fire apricot, his sensory perception became especially sharp, especially his eyes, as if he could see things ordinary people cannot, which is quite mysterious.

His ears were also more acute than those of ordinary martial practitioners.

Especially after mastering the Heavenly Gang Infant Technique.

The wandering warriors muttered softly, thinking they could escape others' ears, but to his hearing it was no different from speaking loudly.

His gaze mainly fell on the brother‑and‑sister pair on the second floor; the aura they emitted was profoundly wondrous, their qi display indicating they were internal refinement adepts at the Essence Nurturing stage.

In Fengxi County he had hardly seen any internal refinement adepts; even if there were, most were still at the Qi Perception stage.

Only Zhang Yi far surpassed his peers.

Besides that, in the main hall there were five burly figures whose blood and vigor were imposing; there were also two other groups, all external refinement martial artists, their bodies exuding a thick killing intent.

Zhang Jian heard these wandering warriors' talk, which always mentioned the Zhang family; most of it stemmed from complex feelings—mostly apprehension, also admiration, and of course a portion of arrogance coupled with hostility.

This let Zhang Jian relax a little; it seemed his strategy was correct, for these wandering warriors were indeed awed by the Zhang family's power.

'But after all, there are still reckless sorts who think they can do anything; I'm afraid it's inevitable that we'll have to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys.'

Zhang Jian silently sighed, but as he stepped out of the Gold Jade Tavern he noticed a familiar figure entering it.

'Yang Zhonghuai!'

He saw a gaunt figure come in from outside the tavern and then head straight for the room of those five ruffians.

That Yang Zhonghuai is also his fellow examinee, the son of County Magistrate Yang Qing.

Only his luck was poor; he has repeatedly failed the provincial examination.

At this moment, when Yang Zhonghuai made contact with those five ruffians, Zhang Jian immediately became wary.

But he merely leaned in to listen; in an instant he grew vexed, for those six were speaking the local dialect, which he could not understand……

Yet vaguely, he still caught a few words.

'Suppress the bandits, Zhang Kui!'

Just those few words already set his mind racing with many associations.

He rose to leave the Gold Jade Tavern, but just before departing, the brother‑and‑sister at the window happened to look over; Zhang Jian's expression shifted slightly, and he gave them a small nod.

The brother and sister were slightly surprised, and they also lightly returned the greeting with a nod.

That night, Zhang Jian was suddenly jolted awake from his dream.

In his ears rang the clash of metal and metal.

"Someone snuck into the Zhang residence at night?"

Zhang Jian jerked awake instantly, and a flicker of odd color rose in his eyes.

That sound was not far from his Fang Lin Ju.

Fang Lin Ju is situated at the edge of the Zhang family's central core; not far away lies the courtyard of Lady Qi, wife of Zhang Yihe; beside it is the Zhang family's important storehouse; the quarters of several concubines are in the rear courtyard, separated by a small courtyard, which is where several of the Zhang brothers reside.

Zhang Jian wasn't worried that the stupid thief would locate the storehouse; rather, he feared the intruder had broken into the quarters of his younger brothers and sisters.

But his worry quickly faded; he heard a piercing, intense sound of ripping air, and in that instant the hurried footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

"Dead?"

The thought flashed through his mind, and he sensed an extremely yin-cold qi emanating around him.

That was Zhang Yi!

Zhang Jian was intimately familiar with Zhang Yi's inner energy, which he cultivated via a manual titled the Xuan Yu Gong; his inner energy was extremely yin-cold, bearing a freezing ice power that could immobilize the meridians.

But the attacker was not Zhang Yi; it was a blade-light of unmatched rigidity and ferocity.

That was Bai Sheng Dao Jian Yao.

Seeing that all trouble had been resolved, Zhang Jian did not leave the room.

After all, he still disliked such trouble.

But in an instant he rose to his feet again, sensing two familiar auras appearing above Fang Lin Ju.